Supplements for Healthy Aging: Creatine, Calcium and Vitamin D, Collagen and Antioxidants

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NIA says eating a variety of healthy foods is the best way to get the nutrients you need, and that supplements can have unwanted effects, such as unsafe prescription-drug interactions, and may not work at all. [1] It also notes that "natural" does not mean safe, and that most supplements listed on MedlinePlus have limited evidence of benefit. [1]

Evidence labels used on this page: established recommendation, promising but limited, mixed, insufficient evidence, preclinical (animal or lab only). This page is about adults studied in research; it does not tell you what to take.

What the research shows

Notes on each

Creatine. Creatine has been studied mainly with resistance training; the evidence is for the combination, not creatine alone. [2] Some authors of the 2021 meta-analysis report ties to creatine companies. [3] A 2025 meta-analysis of 21 studies found creatine was associated with a small, transient rise in serum creatinine (a kidney-test marker) and no significant change in GFR (a kidney-function measure), which the authors interpreted as no kidney impairment. [10] An expert position paper described supplementation as safe and well tolerated in healthy individuals and several patient groups, including the elderly. [11] If you have kidney disease, ask your care team first; creatine can affect the blood test used to judge kidney function. [10] See multiple medicines, kidney function and supplement burden.

Calcium and vitamin D. NIA says calcium works with vitamin D to keep bones strong, and that most people in the United States consume less than recommended amounts of vitamin D; it advises talking with a doctor about foods or a supplement. [1] The fracture trials above mostly studied people not selected for deficiency. [5] A 2024 meta-analysis cautioned against high intermittent vitamin D doses without calcium in people 60 and over with unknown vitamin D status. [12] Details on bones: osteoporosis and bone health. Immune-focused vitamin D is on vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc.

Collagen. The sarcopenia trial used 15 g a day of collagen peptides along with supervised training (an amount used in the study, not a recommendation) and had authors affiliated with a collagen research institute. [7] For skin and beauty claims, see collagen, biotin and beauty supplements. Proper evidence not found here for collagen supplements improving muscle without resistance training, among the sources checked.

Antioxidants. NIA says results suggest large doses of antioxidant supplements will not prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease or diabetes, and some studies show large doses of some antioxidants could be harmful. [1] Food sources of antioxidants are a different matter from high-dose pills.

Vitamin B12. NIA notes some older adults have trouble absorbing the vitamin B12 in food, and vegans and strict vegetarians are at greater risk of deficiency; a doctor can advise. [1] See vitamin B12 deficiency.

Safety and professional care

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist about every supplement; some supplements can make a prescribed medicine weaker or stronger. [1] [13]
• More is not better: NIA warns that very high concentrations of a nutrient can be harmful and that money can be wasted on unneeded supplements. [1]
• Look for the USP Verified mark as one quality check, according to NIA. [1] See reading supplement labels and product quality and contamination.
• Read medication interactions and older adults.
• For longevity-style products (NAD, NMN, resveratrol), see NAD, NMN, resveratrol and longevity claims.

When to get help

Seek advice before starting a supplement if you take prescription drugs, have kidney or liver problems, or have swallowing trouble. [1] [13]